The Global Scale of English and planning: A perfect partnership

Leonor Corradi
Leonor Corradi
A teacher helping a student at a table

As a teacher, I realized that planning had become an 'automatic pilot' routine from which I did not learn much. Like many others, I thought scales such as the Global Scale of English (GSE) or the Common European Framework of Reference are just that; references that are beyond the realities of their lessons.

However, I've seen that the GSE is a very powerful resource to help us at the level of planning.?

If you're using a coursebook you may have noticed that, after completing one of the books in the series, students move up one level, such as from elementary to pre-intermediate or from intermediate to upper-intermediate.

We all understand what it means to be an elementary or intermediate student. These levels are usually defined in terms of structures ¨C conditional sentences, passive voice, and tenses ¨C Simple Past, Future Continuous, etc.

But why do students want to learn English? Using it means being able to listen or read and understand, interact with others, and communicate in writing. Even if it is parents who enroll their children in language institutes, what they want is for them to use the language. We can see a mismatch between how levels are defined and students' aims to study English.

Here's how the GSE can help English language teachers

First, you need the right scale for your group ¨C Pre-primary, Young Learners, Adults, Professionals or Academic, which can be downloaded at:

/languages/why-pearson/the-global-scale-of-english/resources.html

Focus on your students' level. There you will see all the learning objectives that students need to achieve to complete the level at which they are and move on in their learning journey.

What are learning objectives??They are can-do statements that clearly describe what students are expected to achieve as the result of instruction. In other words, these objectives guide teachers in our planning to help students learn.

When we plan our lessons, rather than working at lesson level only, we should reflect on how the activities proposed are referenced against the learning objectives of the level. We may see that some activities need some adapting in order to focus on the selected learning outcomes.

At the level of planning as well, I also use the GSE to analyze the activities proposed in the materials I am using. Let me tell you what I do. Let's take listening, for instance. You may use the downloaded scales or the Teacher Toolkit that the GSE provides. Let's run through how this works.?

?

Image of the GSE Teacher Toolkit

Here's the link to the Toolkit:

  • In the 'Learning Objectives' tab, choose the learner: Pre-primary, young learners, etc.
  • Then move the slides at either end of the scale so that you only work on the range you are teaching.
  • After that, select the skill you want to focus on, in this case Listening, and click on 'Show results'. You'll get a list of the LOs for listening at the selected range. You can download it as a pdf or Excel document.
  • Next, analyze the listening activity proposed in the materials used. Are the items in the activity at the right level? May the students need guidance or support? Are they required to extract information, an operation that may be beyond their level? Are there learning objectives that are not present at all?

After the analysis, I sometimes decide to add objectives, which I write on the board or will add support and guidance to the items in the activity. Occasionally, I divide the items into A and B categories, with A being at the right level and less demanding than B items.

I share this with learners and challenge them to complete some of the B items. But since they know they are more challenging, they're less likely to get frustrated if they cannot find the right answer. Also, as these tasks are more demanding, I might play the audio more often or chunk it and stop at each chunk.

You may think this is time-demanding, which is true, but it's time well invested, not wasted. On the one hand, I'm helping students reach their target level. On the other, I am tailoring all activities, personalizing them. What's not to like about this?

Since starting using the GSE myself and with groups of English teachers, I have seen improvements in students. They know what it takes to move on in their learning process and feel more responsible and committed to it. It's their decision, not mine. Another realization is that this type of reflection directly impacts my teaching methods. It makes me more reflective and focused on my students' needs and it has changed lesson planning into a learning practice.

About the author

Leonor Corradi is an English teacher based in Argentina. She is a former member of the Foreign Languages Team at the National Ministry of Education in Argentina, in charge of English and coordinator of state plurilingual schools in the City of Buenos Aires. She has extensive experience as a materials designer and coursebook writer and is an academic consultant for different educational institutions such as the British Council, and Ministries of Education in Latin America.?

She has run professional development courses for teachers and has presented extensively at national and international conferences. She is the author of the Curriculum for Foreign Languages for the City of Buenos Aires (2001, English) and has been an ELTons Judge since 2014. Leonor has been a member of the Global Scale of English (GSE) Advisory Board since 2014 and is a GSE Ambassador.

More blogs from ɫèAV

  • A overhead shot of a group of people working at a desk with papers and notebooks

    5 ways to make studying in a group work for you

    By Steffanie Zazulak

    There are many benefits to studying in a group, ranging from reducing procrastination and boosting your confidence to gaining new perspectives and learning faster. Many English language learners enjoy working in a group, and many English language teachers recommend it. Here¡¯s how to make studying in a group work for you or your students¡­

    1. Create an effective group

    Even though you love spending time with your friends, don¡¯t base study partners on friendship. Instead, look for people who stay alert in class, take notes, ask questions, and respond to the teacher¡¯s questions ¨C and don¡¯t make the group too big. An ideal size for a study group is three or four students.

    It¡¯s a great idea to try to meet on the same day and time each week because treating the study session as you would a class helps you to keep to a schedule and ensure that everyone attends.

    Finally, hold study group sessions in a place free of distractions with room to spread out the materials. This will help to ensure that you don¡¯t end up talking about the latest movies or songs instead of studying the future tense!

    2. Decide on the topics and set goals

    Before your study group, think about the topics you¡¯d like to discuss ¨C then agree on one. This will help you concentrate on that topic without straying away. Once you¡¯ve decided on your subject, also consider what you want to achieve at each session ¨C but don¡¯t take on too much material for one session.

    For example, if you¡¯re using a novel written in English to learn more about the language, just think about one aspect of it, such as a couple of the characters, rather than trying to discuss the entire book.

    3. Prepare effectively

    Before attending your study group, prepare by reading more about or researching the topic you¡¯re all going to discuss.

    Also, make a list of anything you aren¡¯t sure you understand so that you can discuss it with your fellow learners. There are sure to be different things you all need explaining in more detail, so you can help each other to understand. Which leads us on to¡­

    4. Learn from each other by communicating well

    Communicate openly ¨C it doesn¡¯t matter if one of you doesn¡¯t understand something or needs more explanation. And don¡¯t be shy about asking for your peers¡¯ feedback: ¡°Am I talking too much?¡± or ¡°Did I present your point of view correctly?¡±. It is often said that it is best to teach other material you understand, and learn from others who understand the material better than you do.

    If your study session reveals points of disagreement or confusion that you cannot resolve as a group, make a note of it and ask your teacher.

    5. Make it enjoyable

    Last on the list, but very important: try to make studying enjoyable in whatever way you can by keeping it interesting. Pick novels about subjects you all really enjoy reading about. Go to see an English-speaking movie together and discuss it at your study group. Or try a quiz together (online or in person) to see how you've picked the subject matter up.?

  • a hand reaching for a book from a bookshelf

    9 great novels to help improve your English

    By Steffanie Zazulak

    Reading is one of the most fun and effective ways to help improve your English language skills. It can help to expand your vocabulary and expose you to different sentence structures, all while you enjoy some wonderful stories.

    E-readers and tablets make learning English even easier because if you don¡¯t know a word, you can click on it to read its definition. On the Kindle, you can even add new words you¡¯ve learnt to its Vocabulary Builder feature, which is stored on the device. Others recommend listening to and reading text at the same time as an excellent way to enhance the learning process. Kindle¡¯s Whispersync for Voice is designed for just this purpose and includes audio with selected books, so you can listen and follow the text as you read.

    9 great novels to help improve your English

    Below, we reveal nine novels, including William Golding¡¯s Lord of the Flies and George Orwell¡¯s Animal Farm, to help improve your English.

    1. The Wind in the Willows ¨C Kenneth Grahame

    This classic tale takes place in the English countryside and shares the adventures of the animals that live by the river. Grahame¡¯s simple use of language with imaginative stories makes this a pleasurable read for adults and children.

    2. Lord of the Flies ¨C William Golding

    This book is a modern classic and a popular study text for schools all over the world. When a group of boys are isolated on a desert island, the society they create descends into ruthless behavior. Golding uses dramatic and descriptive language, almost like poetry, making you feel like you¡¯re in the scenes yourself.

    3. The Old Man and the Sea ¨C Ernest Hemingway

    Ernest Hemingway is well-known for his clear, straightforward writing style and short sentence structure, which is great for English language learners and many people have read it in school. It¡¯s the courageous tale of a Cuban fisherman and his battle to land a giant marlin and it¡¯s a perfect introduction to Hemingway as an author.

  • A Young woman smiling and gesturing at her friend

    Improve your English without saying a word

    By Steffanie Zazulak

    Communicating in English goes far beyond simply learning English vocabulary. In fact, there are many non-verbal strategies you can leverage to appear more confident as you improve your English. Below you¡¯ll find three of the most important aspects of non-verbal communication to work on:

    Make eye contact when you speak in English

    When you¡¯re talking to someone, it¡¯s best to look them in the eye as much as possible. This shows that you are engaged in the conversation and listening intently when not speaking. Especially in loud environments, you may find your eyes drawn to someone¡¯s lips as they talk. While it may help you better understand what they¡¯re saying in a noisy place, like a restaurant, aim to maintain eye contact as much as you can (but do remember to take a quick break away once in a while so as to not stare too intently).

    Be mindful of body language

    What you¡¯re doing with your hands and the facial expressions you make can say a lot¡ªsometimes more than words! Not only should you be aware of the body language of who you¡¯re talking with, but you also need to know what your body language is saying about you. Different cultures see hand gestures differently so it's good to be mindful of what gestures you make with your hands. If you want to appear open and friendly you may want to keep your arms open and avoid closed body language like crossing your arms.

    If someone is leaning away from you slightly, this may indicate they aren¡¯t interested in the topic you¡¯re speaking about. They may lean in closer if more interested in what you're talking about. If they smile a lot, this may mean they agree with you.

    Prepare yourself for English conversations you may have

    If you are planning to practice talking in English, it¡¯s OK to prepare yourself for the conversation. Create a script for yourself to speak from that allows you to practice difficult terms and phrases. Not only will this give you real-time experience bettering your skills, but it will allow you to speak English with confidence.

    Either in work situations or casual conversations, there¡¯s more than just English words being exchanged so remember to dedicate your full attention. It¡¯s an excellent opportunity to practice and improve your English skills and you¡¯re likely to learn more than just studying on your own.